A letter John Lennon wrote to Phil Spector titled "A Matter of Pee" has seen a 600% increase on estimate at Cooper Owen's Music & Movie Legends auction.
 The note details a renowned period in Lennon's life, yet May Pang refutes its authenticity |
Held on March 21 in London, the sale saw strong bids, with the letter selling for £42,000 ($69,234) against a £6,000 ($9,890) high estimate.
The letter was written during Lennon's "Lost Weekend", a two-year period in the 1970s in which he left Yoko Ono in favour of May Pang and spent his time drinking heavily with Harry Nilsson and Keith Moon - a pair already renowned for their riotous alcoholism.
"Should you not yet know, it was Harry and Keith who pissed on the console!" Lennon writes to Spector, defending his part in the incident, in which the recording console at A&M Studios was urinated on.
"I can't be expected to mind adult rock stars nor can May, besides she works for me, not A+M! I'm about to piss off to [recording studio] Record Plant because of this crap!"
The letter was consigned to auction by Jesse Ed Davis, who provided lead guitar on Lennon's Walls and Bridges (1974) and Rock and Roll (1975).
However, May Pang has refuted the letter, stating that Harry Nilsson and Keith Moon had not been present at the time, and that the liquid on the console was liquor, not urine.
"I have to say I have no idea where Harry and Keith came into the picture during that time," Pang told the Examiner.
"The liquid poured down the console was liquor so I have no idea where this other event occurred and why would John give Jesse Ed the note if it went to Phil. John was not in the habit of giving away notes or letters to other people. The handwriting and drawings don't even come close to John's own style which I should know."
In June, Sotheby's will offer a collection of Lennon's original drawings and writings.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has some of the finest Beatles memorabilia for sale, including a customs declaration signed by Lennon from his "Double Fantasy" trip to Bermuda.
